Army veteran Charles “Charlie” Johnson, 104, served as World War II Grand Marshal for today’s Phoenix Veterans Day Parade, celebrating a life defined by service to his country and community.
Born in 1921 in Clarksburg, W.V., Johnson was drafted in 1942 and served in the South Pacific from 1942 to 1945, including campaigns in New Guinea, Halmahera and the Philippines. He moved supplies and cargo across single, unsecured islands as part of the U.S. Army Infantry before returning home and marrying his wife, Bonnie McCulley Johnson.
After the war, Johnson and his wife settled in Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked at the Post Office and operated a barbershop next to his wife’s beauty salon to support their family. His faith journey later led him to convert to Catholicism and devote himself to helping others. In 1952, he co-founded the Martin De Porres Center, a community hub offering food, shelter and education for the needy.
Johnson later became a Permanent Deacon in 1972 and served the Diocese of Cleveland until his retirement in 1990. He continued giving back as a chaplain at Huron Hospital and Metro Hospital until age 94.
Today, the centenarian still maintains an active lifestyle, enjoying golf and archery, a passion encouraged by friends Dick and Diane Tome, who nominated him for the Grand Marshal honor. He even competed in Las Vegas archery tournaments well past 100.
The Phoenix Veterans Day Parade is among the nation’s largest, drawing thousands of spectators downtown each year to honor service members from every branch and era.
Johnson’s selection as Grand Marshal celebrates not just his military heroism, but also his lifelong example of compassion, leadership and enduring vitality.
